Tamil Nadu minister claims attempt to ‘settle’ POCSO case against granite businessman

• Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar alleged that a 2024 complaint against Veeramani was suppressed and that attempts were made to settle the matter.

• Two senior IPS officers who held posts in the Chennai Police Commissionerate when the complaint first surfaced have been transferred and placed on compulsory wait. The transfer order gave no reason.

• An all-women Special Investigation Team has been formed, while Veeramani’s judicial custody has been extended until 9 October.

Tamil Nadu Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar on Saturday alleged that attempts had been made to “settle” the POCSO case involving Gem Granites chairman R Veeramani, accusing the previous DMK government of protecting the businessman. The DMK has denied having any connection with Veeramani in relation to the case.

Speaking to reporters, Kumar claimed that a complaint made against Veeramani in 2024 had been suppressed and that the case was later closed for “insufficient evidence”. He alleged that efforts to settle the matter involved large sums of money and questioned how such activity could have gone unnoticed by the Home Department and state intelligence officers.

“It is impossible for such massive extortion attempts and extra-judicial settlements to occur without the knowledge of the Home department and intelligence officers,” he said. These claims remain allegations.

Kumar said the investigation would be conducted impartially under Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s supervision. Anyone found to have shielded the accused, profited from extortion or suppressed evidence would face legal action, he said.

His remarks followed the transfer on Thursday of two senior IPS officers who held senior posts in the Chennai Police Commissionerate when a complaint about Veeramani first surfaced. A Home Department order placed A Arun, Additional Director General of Police at the Tamil Nadu Police Academy, and N Kannan, Coimbatore Police Commissioner, on compulsory wait. The order did not give a reason for the transfers.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee SC department leader Ranjan Kumar has said he gave Kannan a complaint in November 2024, when Kannan was an Additional Commissioner of Police in Chennai. According to Ranjan Kumar, Kannan said he would discuss it with Arun, then the Chennai Police Commissioner.

Police registered an FIR only the following year, saying they had received an anonymous letter and a pen drive through a representative of a non-governmental organisation.

DGP (Training) Rajeev Kumar has been given additional charge of the Tamil Nadu Police Academy, while R V Ramya Bharati, Inspector General of Police for the West Zone, will hold additional charge as Coimbatore Police Commissioner.

The state government has set up a four-member, all-women Special Investigation Team to examine the POCSO case and related matters under the supervision of the Chennai Police Commissioner. Veeramani, 84, was arrested on 29 August. A Chennai POCSO Special Court has extended his judicial custody until 9 October.

With PTI inputs